Attaching machine



w. o. HANSEN ETAL ATTACHING MACHINE Filed oci. 1e. 1959 Aug. 4, 1942.

i 5 Sheets-Sheet .1

Bowefz M ATTORNEY.

ug- 4, 1942- w. ofHANsEN ErAL 2,292,223

ATTACHING'MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IGI/v.4 -b/ ATTORNEY.

A118- 4, 1942- w. o. HANSEN ETAL 2,292,223

ATTACHING MACHINE Filed oct. 1e, 1939 5 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTORS.' Maf/ana O. /Uzsezz/ BY MerZzn, L. awem ATTORNEY.

ug 4, 1942- w. o. HANSEN LTAL- 2,292,223

ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1939 5 Shee'lbs-Sheefl 4 ATTORNEY.

Allg- 4, 1942- w. o. HANSEN ETAL 2,292,223

INVENTORS: ZL'ZzcUn O. Hansen BY, ./fferlz'r?. 5. Bowen l ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 4, 1942 ATTACHING MACHINE William 0. Hansen and Merlin L. Bowen, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Universal Button Fastening t Button Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 16, 1939, Serial No. 299,586

11 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for attaching buttons and the like and, among other objects, aims to provide a machine designed to attach so-called registered buttons (as Well as ordinary buttons) at various points on the garment and in a manner which will maintain the buttons in registry throughout the life of the garment.

The nature of the invention may be readily understood by reference to one form of apparatus embodying the invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the opposite side of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of the front of the apparatus showing the button feeding and attaching mechanisms;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of the button raceway showing the mechanism for releasing one button at a time;

Fig. 6 is a similar view at a later stage in the cycle of operations showing a single button released and continuing its movement down the raceway;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a detail taken from the plane 1-'1 of Fig. 2;

8 is a section through the button raceway and orienting mechanism taken approximately on the plane 8 S of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a similar section showing a button farther advanced in its journey to attaching position;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the button orienting mechanism taken approximately from the plane lll-l0 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 1l is a plan view of one form of registered button;

Fig. l2 is a cross-section thereof taken on the plane lll- I2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through the button orienting carrier; and

Fig. le is a plan view somewhat diagrammatic in character, showing the manner of introduction of a garment into the apparatus for the registration of a vertical row of buttons.

A registered button, so-called, is one attached to the garment with the insignia on the face of the button (i. e. trade-mark, design, etc.) in upright position on the garment. The attaching machine presents the button in attaching position with the insignia in predetermined position,

l5 chine.

i.' parts at the side of the machine or adjacent the jaws which allow no room or insuflicient room for the operators hands to permit safe or easy insertion of said garment edge in the machine in a front to back direction relative to the ma- This has made it necessary as a practical matter for the operator to hold the edge of the garment to which the buttons are to be attached (the top of an overall bib for example) transversely of the machine. In attaching side buttons, the garment must then be rotated 90 so that its side edge runs transversely of the machine. However, in attaching registered buttons, arbitrary arrangement of the garment in the machine is not permissible. In order to regis- 'lo ter side buttons, as well as top or bib buttons,

the angular relation of the garment to the machine must not be changed.

The illustrative machine is designed to permit insertion of the garment into the machine and its maintenance therein in a generally constant axial position, wherein the vertical axis of the garment is at all times parallel to the front-toback axis of the setting station. In the present instance, the registered buttons are presented in attaching position with the bottom of the insignia to the front and the top thereof to the rear. To register the buttons on the garment, the latter must be inserted in the machine with the Vertical or upright axis of the garment always in one direction, in this case perpendicular to the front of the machine, the work being fed from the front toward the back of the machine or vice versa when attaching buttons along an edge which is parallel to said vertical axis of the garment and being fed from side to side when attaching buttons along an edge which is at right angles to said vertical axis. Fig. 14 illustrates diagrammatically the manner of inserting a garment into the machine for attachment of registered buttons along a vertical edge of a garment, i. e. the side buttons on an overall or the Vertical row of buttons on a jacket or coat. Generally, the buttons are so placed as to register with button holes along an open side edge of the garment; and to effect this the operator first attaches the top button I and then moves the garment inwardly between the upper and lower jaws of the machine, holding the edge II taut until the spot for the next button registers with the attaching position I2. The latter position is generally determined by the button hole on the open edge of the garment, but, if desired, an adjustable gauge or index I3 (spaced from attaching position I2 by the desired button spacing I l!) may be employed. The index is preferably adjustable for different button spacings. A common button spacing for overall side buttons is 41/2 inches.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 14, the upper and lower attaching jaws I5 and I6 are supported forwardly of the main frame I'I of the machine to provide a space I 8 whose depth (from front to back) is greater than the spacing between adjacent buttons by an amount sufficient to accommodate the operators hand. To eliminate obstructions which might interfere with the operation, the button and fastener raceways are arranged so as not to project laterally from the upper and lower attaching jaws. There is thus ample space on each side of the jaws and for a substantial distance to the rear thereof to permit introduction of the garment into the machine as just described. It should be understood that the aforesaid space must be provided on each side of the jaws for the right and left sides of a garment. Fig. 14 illustrates attachment of buttons along one side edge of the garment. When attaching buttons to the opposite side, the operator's hands lie along the left side of the machine.

While it is necessary to employ a slightly different method of inserting the garment into the machine, as compared with the method heretofore employed for attaching ordinary buttons,

such different method is no less convenient.

Moreover, the present machine takes the place of three conventional machines heretofore required for attaching registered buttons to the top edge of a garment and to the right and left sides thereof respectively; and it avoids the necessity g,-

of using three kinds of registered buttons (in the three machines) identical except for the location of the registering means on the button.

Registered buttons are attached to the horizontal or top edge of a garment (e. g. the top of an overall bib) by passing the edge laterally through the jaws exactly as in prior practice.

In attaching ordinary or non-registered buttons, the garment may, of course, be inserted into the machine in any manner desired without regard to the matter of registration.

Heretofore, buttons have been attached in registered or upright position on the garment without any assurance that this registry would be maintained. Indeed, the registered button has been free to turn out of registry immediately after attachment (if it did not do so before), thus losing all advantages of attachment with the insignia in upright or registered position. According to the present invention, the button is attached in such a way as to be incapable of displacement from registered position. As here shown, the button is designed for attachment by a double prong fastener whose prongs penetrate the cloth 2I at separated points and curl around the bar 22 of the button. The double prongs thus prevent turning of the button and maintain `the insignia permanently in upright position. In Figs. 11 and 12 are illustrated one form 23 of registered button of this type.

The 75 underface of the button carries registering means in the form of a stop or projection 24 (having a predetermined relation to the insignia 25 of the button) whose function it is to effect registry of the button with the insignia 25 upright. The bar 22 (which is straddled by the attaching prongs) also occupies a predetermined relation to the insignia 25. In this instance, the bar lies at right angles to the vertical axis of the insignia. The latter is, in the present case, embossed on or impressed in a thin decorative shell 26, whose margins 21 are crimped around the edge 28 of the button head tightly so as to prevent turning of the shell on the button head.

In assembly of the button, the head of the button is inserted in a predetermined position in the shell; that is, with the stop 24 having a predetermined relation to the insignia 25. When thus assembled the margin 2'I of the shell is tightly crimped on the button head. The bar 22 must also have a predetermined position relative to the insignia 25 and, of course, to the stop 24. The bar, in this case, is a separate member inserted in the die cavity 29 (which curls the fastener prongs around the bar) and there fastened in place. In some forms of button, the bar is an integral part of the collet or back of the button.

The button attaching mechanism, together with the button and fastener supply mechanism are conventional. One appropriate form of such mechanisms is illustrated in our Patent No. 2,048,930. Details of these mechanisms form no part of the present invention and have, therefore, been omitted for the sake of clarity. Buttons are contained in the rotary button hopper 30 and fasteners in the rotary hopper 3l, from which they are respectively supplied in the manner described in the aforesaid patent. The fasteners are delivered one at a time with one prong in advance of the other to the fastener holding device 32, carried in the lower jaw IS of the attaching mechanism. The fasteners are advanced from the rear to attaching position through the lower jaw, and the fastener feeding mechanism therefor presents no obstructions to introduction of the garment, as aforesaid. A column of buttons (delivered from button hopper 30) is held in raceway 33 with the tops of the buttons faced in one direction. Buttons are delivered one at a time from raceway 33 by releasing mechanism represented by a dropper 33 oscillated by a, reciprocating cam rod 35. The lower end of the latter carries a cam surface 36 adapted, when moved downwardly, to retract the dropper against the pressure of its spring 31. The lower end 38 of rod projects into the raceway and prevents escape of the column of buttons when the dropper is retracted (Figs. 5 and 6). After the button is released, it continues down the raceway into an arcuate section 39 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) extending closely along the side of the upper jaw I5. The raceway extends continuously to the attaching position and from its discharge end the button is delivered into button holding jaws 40 rlierated by the reciprocating spindle or plunger Associated with the arcuate section of the raceway is mechanism for rotating the button until it is in predetermined position. If the button be a registered button, the aforesaid mechanism orients the button to bring the insignia thereon in predetermined position, at the same time locating the bar of the button in a position transverse to the plane of the fastener prongs. Without modification or adjustment, the mechanism is also designed 'to rotate a non-registered button until the bar of the button occupies apredetermined position. i The aforesaid mechanism is here-shown Vin the form of a shuttle or carrier '42 for advancing the button down the raceway (see Figs. 4 and 13). During such advance, the button is rotated by the application of frictional forces to the exterior of the button. Such forces 'are exerted in the present instance Vby a rail 43, engaging the rim of the button head and resiliently pressed against the button head by springs 44 (Fig. 5). The contacting surface of the r-ail is provid-ed with a V-groove 45,'frictionally embracing the rim of the button. The pressure of the rail 43 is resisted, in this instance, by engagement f the shank 46 of the button with a bearing member 4l which preferably has a hard polished bearing surface, exerting relatively lit- 'tle friction on the shank of the button. The

button is advanced by the extremity of shuttle 42, which is advantageously notched as at 48 to embrace the shank of the button. The friction exerted by rail 43 during said advance substantially exceeds the resisting or opposite friction exerted by bearing member 41 and the carrier 42, with the result that the button rotates as though it were rolling along the rail.' As viewed from the top of the button (Fig. this rotation is -in a clockwise direction. Rail 43 is made sufciently long to eiect when necessary approximately 360 rotation of the button, thus insuring adequate rotation of the button forregistration of the insignia thereon in upright position. When such insignia reaches a predetermined position, the rotation of the button is arrested, in this case, by engagement of the projection 24 with a stop 49 carried on the face of the carrier adjacent the notch 48 (Fig. 10). Preferably stop 49 is made suiliciently wide to function effectively regardless of the location of the stop on the under face of the button. The opposite or nonfunctional faces of stop 49 are preferably beveled to prevent catching of the button head thereon. The resistance offered by stop 49 is, of course, sucient to overcome the rotative fri-cticnal forces exerted by rail 43, and thus thebutton is delivered by the carrier without further rotation directly into the holding jaws with the insignia thereon in properly oriented position.. During its orientation and until it is introduced into the holding jaws 4i), the button is continuously under the control of the carrier and the raceway. There is, therefore, no opportunity for the button to get out of registerf Carrier 42 is osoillated in this instance by rocking member 5i! pivoted at 5i to the upper jaw structure and operated by link 52, pivoted to the former at 53. The rocking arm 50 is here shown carrying a pivot pin 54 to which carrier 42 is fastened by set screw 55. The carrier is urged toward the button raceway by torsion spring 55 fastened at one end 51 to pivot pin 54 and anchored at 58, adjacent at its other end to the rocking arm 5U.

The amplitude in oscillation of the rocking arm is made sufficient to give the carrier adequate operative travel along the raceway for rotating the button approximately one revolution when necessary. In the present instance, the oscillating movement is -provided by the spindle or plunger 4I to which link 52 is connected through a friction collar 59 (Figs. 3 and '7). The friction collar also carries a projection 60 which is adapted to engage the shoulder 6| adjacent the upper end of the dropper rod 35 for elevating the latter. The dropper rod is depressed by leaf 'spring 62, also carried byrcollar 6D, and adapted to engage the shoulder 63 on the dropper rod. The spring is adapted to deect in event downward movement of the dropper rod is substantially resisted because of an obstruction or otherwlse.

Collar 59 is frictionally carried on spindle 4l by a friction plug 64 (preferably of non-ferrous material) carried by the collar and pressed against lthe surface of the spindle by spring 65. In the event carrier 42 encounters excessive rosistance, collar 59 is adapted to slip on spindle 4i. Collar 59 advantageously carries a limit screw 6'6 (Fig. 3) which limits the outward travel of carrier 42 and also serves to reset the collar to proper position on the spindle (after displacement due to an obstruction) by contacting with the upper surface of upper jaw l5. The screw is held in adjusted position by lock nut E1.

n'Ihe 1groove 45 in the rail 43 is enlarged as at SB adjacent its upper end (see Fig. 6) so as freely to admit a button released by the dropper. Such button comes to rest in the position 59 (Figs. 4 and 6). On its return or outward travel, carrier 42 is deflectedou'twardly about pin 54 to clear the button in position 59. In the present instance, this is effected by a cam member le providing a tapered cam surface extending along the path of movement of the carrier and engaged by a pin 12 projecting laterally from the carrier (Figs. 4, 8 and l0). The cam member in the present instance is in the form of a nat spring having a laterally projecting portion 'll adjacent its upper end (Fig. 8) by which it is mounted to the raceway structure. The upper end of the cam member terminates just short of the upper limit of travel of pin 'H2 so that when the latter clears the en'd of the cam member, it moves inwardly as indicated in dotted lines at i3 (Fig. 8), and on its forward or downward travel moves above the cam member, thus allowing notch 48 in carrier 42 operatively to engage the shank of the button previously placed in position 69. The lower end 'I4 of the cam member gradually inclines toward the raceway and its extremity is free to permit pin 'i2 to escape cn its forward or inward movement. Said end 'i4 terminates just short of the inner limit T5 of travel of the pin 12 (Fig. 4). On its return or outward travel pin 'l2 rides up on the outer surface of the cam member and thus is effective in causing the carrier to clear the button, as aforesaid.

No adjustment is required for attachment of so-called non-registered buttons, i. e. buttons which do not carry a stop 24 for arresting rotation of the button In predetermined relation to the insignia on the top of the button. Such buttons are rotated as they are advanced by the carrier 42 in the same manner as registered buttons. The rotation is arrested when the bar 22 of the buttonreaches a predetermined position. It will be understood that with a non-registered barred button there are two predetermined positions instead of one, in which the button may be attached. Hence, the bar alone is suiiicient to register only insignia which may oe properly attached in either of two positions, such as symmetrical designs.

The bar engaging mechanism is here shown in the form of a locating device Si] pivoted at 8l to the carrier and having a forked extremity 82 adapted to enter the die cavity 29 of the button (seated in the notch 48 of the carrier) when the bar is in position to be straddled by the fork. When the fork thus straddles the bar, further rotation of the button is arrested and it is introduced into the button holder with the plane of the bar lying transversely to the plane of the attaching fastener prongs (Figs. 4 and 13).

The locating device is resiliently pressed toward the button by a spring 83 bearing against its opposite extremity.

In the present instance, the locating device is rendered inoperative during approximately the first half of the travel of the button along the rail 43 so as not to interfere with the operation of the stop 49 in orienting registered buttons. Otherwise, positioning device 80 might arrest a registered button with the insignia upside down quite as often as right side up. During the latter half of the travel of the button through the orienting mechanism (where there is no longer any danger that the positioning device will arrest the button with the insignia upside down), the function of the positioning device is restored and it operates to straddle the bar of the button when the latter is rotated into predetermined position. For a non-registered barred button, rotation of approximately 189 is always sufficient to bring the bar into predetermined position. Hence, with non-registered buttons, sufficient rotation occurs during the latter half of the travel of the button along the rail 43 to bring the bar into predetermined position; and rotation during the rst half is simply idle rotation.

The operation of the positioning device 8! is controlled, in the present instance, by a cam surface 84 along which rides pin 85 projecting laterally from the positioning device The cam surface is designed to hold the positioning device inoperative until it reaches the point 86 (Fig. 4) at which time the cam surface inclines inwardly and allows the fork of the positioning device to be pressed toward the bar of the button. For the remainder of the travel of the button, the fork is operative to engage the bar when the latter arrives in proper position.

The positioning device, of course, functions in the same manner during the last half of the travel of a registered button along the rail 43; but with such buttons, stop 24 on the button really controls the position of the button. The operation of the fork, while unnecessary in the latter case, does not in any way interfere.

It is thus apparent that without adjustment the orienting mechanism is capable of handling both non-registered as well as registered buttons. In either case, the bar of the button is located so that it will be straddled by the fastener prongs and thereby firmly attached to the garment.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative apparatus since these may be variously modified. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointly since various features may be used to advantage in different combinations and subcombinations.

Having described our invention, We claim:

1. A machine for attaching registered buttons comprising in combination attaching mechanism, button and fastener supplying mechanism, means for feeding a button and a fastener to attaching position, means for axially rotating a button being supplied to attaching position, and mechanism having a pair of devices each adapted to engage the button and arrest its rotation, and means for rendering one of said devices inoperative to permit continued rotation of the button into engagement with the other device.

2. A machine for attaching registered buttons comprising in combination attaching mechanism, button and fastener supplying mechanism, means for feeding a button and a fastener to attaching position, means for axially rotating a button being supplied to attaching position, mechanism having a pair of devices each adapted to engage the button and arrest its rotation, and means for retracting one of said devices so that the button may rotate farther until its rotation is arrested by the other of said devices.

3. A button attaching machine comprising in combination attaching mechanism for upsetting a fastener in a button to attach the latter to a garment or the like, means for delivering a double pronged fastener to attaching position, means adapted to deliver a button having a bar for receiving the prongs of the fastener, and orienting mechanism for axially rotating the button, said mechanism having successively operating means for arresting rotation of the button, the first means being adapted to engage a stop on the button if the button be provided with a stop and the second means being adapted to engage the bar on the button.

4. In a machine for attaching buttons and the like, the combination with upper and lower dies for uniting a button and fastener of a button hopper for supplying buttons, a button holder in attaching position and connected with the upper die for holding the button in attaching position in operative relation to said dies, a raceway comprising a continuous button channel extending from said hopper to said holder, a friction device extending along a side of said channel for a distance approximately equivalent to the circumference of the button, means for resiliently pressing said device against the button to exert a predominating friction thereon and capable of rotating the button substantially a complete revolution, and means below the button for arresting the rotation of the button when it is rotated to a definite position and for holding the same in such definite position against the friction thereon and throughout the remaindeI` of its travel in the channel and until the button is delivered to said holder.

. 5. In a machine for attaching buttons and the like, the combination with upper and lower dies for uniting a button and fastener of a button hopper for supplying buttons, a button holder in attaching position and connected with the upper die for holding the button in attaching position in operative relation to said dies, a raceway comprising an uninterrupted button channel extending from said hopper to said holder in attaching position and continuously inclined downwardly toward said holder, an oscillating carrier in said raceway for moving a button in said raceway and placing the same in said holder, a friction bar along the side of said channel and at a point intermediate its ends and resiliently pressed toward the channel to engage the edge of a button head and exert predominating friction thereon to rotate the button as the latter is advanced by said carrier, and means below the button for arresting the rotation of the button when it is rotated, to a definite position and for holding the same in such definite position against the friction thereon and throughout the remainder of its travel in the channel and until the button is delivered'to said holder.

6. A button attaching machine comprising in combination attaching mechanism for upsetting a fastener in a button to attach the latter to a garment or the like, means for delivering a double pronged fastener to attaching position in said attaching mechanism, means for delivering a button having a bar for receiving the prongs of the said fastener, and orienting mechanism for rotating the button axially, said mechanism having two stop means adapted to operate successively to arrest the rotation of the button, the first stop means being adapted to engage a projection on the button, if provided, for arresting the button in a predetermined position and the second stop means being adapted to engage the bar of the button to arrest the rotation of the button, if provided with no projection, with the bar in either of two predetermined positions relative to the fastener.

7. In a button attaching machine for attaching barred buttons with and without registering stops the combination comprising button attaching mechanism, a raceway for guiding a bared button to the button attaching mechanism, an oscillating device for moving the button through the raceway, means associated therewith for axially rotating the button as it advances, said device having orienting means for engaging a registering stop on the button to arrest its rotation, said device also carrying an orienting member adapted to engage the bars of buttons having no registering stops when the bar occupies a definite position relative to said orienting member, and means for rendering said orienting member inoperative during a part of the cycle of operations, whereby buttons both with and without registering stops may be attached in oriented position.

8. In a button attaching machine for attaching barred buttons with and without registering stops, the combination comprising button attaching mechanism, a raceway for guiding a barred button to the button attaching mechanism, an oscillating device for moving the button through the raceway, means associated therewith for rotating the button as it advances, said device having means for engaging a registering stop on the button to arrest its rotation, a movable locating member carried by said device and adapted to engage the bar of the button when the bar is in either of two predetermined positions relative to said locating member, and means for rendering said locating member inoperative for a portion of the cycle so as not to engage the bar of the button until the button has been moved part of the way along its line of travel.

9. In a button attaching machine for attaching barred buttons with and Without registering stops, the combination comprising button attaching mechanism, a raceway for guiding a barred button tothe button attaching mechanism, an oscillating device for moving the button through the raceway, means associated therewith for axially rotating the button as it advances, said device having orienting means for engaging a registering stop on the button to arrest its rotation, said device also carrying an orienting member adapted to engage the bar of abutton when the bar is in a definite position relative to said orienting member, means for rendering said orienting member inoperative during a part of the cycle of operations, whereby buttons both with and without registering stops may be attached in oriented position, and means for moving said device out of the path of the button during the return travel of said device.

10. In a button attaching machine for attaching barred buttons with and without registering stops, the combination comprising button attaching mechanism, a raceway for guiding a barred button to the button attaching mechanism, an oscillating device for moving the button through the raceway, means associated therewith for axially rotating the button as it advances, said device having orienting means for engaging a registering stop on the button to arrest its rotation, said device also carrying an orienting member' adapted to engage the bar of a button when the bar is in a denite position relative to sai-d orienting member, means for rendering said orienting member inoperative during a part of the cycle of operations, whereby buttons both with and without registering stops may be attached in oriented position, and a cam operative on the return travel of said device to move the latter out of the path of the button.

1l. In a button attaching machine for attaching barred buttons with and without registering stops, the combination comprising button attaching mechanism, a raceway for guiding a barred button to the button attaching mechanism, an oscillating device for moving the button through the raceway, means associated therewith for rotating the button as it advances, said device having means for engaging a registering stop on the button to arrest its rotation, a movable locating member carried by said device and adapted to engage the bar of the button when the bar is in a definite position relative to said locating member, and a cam for holding the member in inoperative position for a portion of the cycle so as not to engage the bar of the button during said portion of the cycle.

WILLIAM O. HANSEN. MERLIN L. BOWEN. 

